The Agence France Presse quoted al-Sudani’s deputy editor Noureddine Medani as having said that security forces explained they had "reservations" over coverage by the newspaper of "current issues". Staff at the newspaper believes that the measure was a punishment for the paper’s criticism of the government’s reaction to recent fuel and sugar prices protests. Saturday’s al-Sudani reportedly contained two columns covering this subject.

One state security source told Reuters the measures were aimed at preventing the publication of articles that would compromise the investigation into the death of Mohamed Taha, editor of al-Wifaq newspaper found decapitated last Wednesday. "The deceased was a journalist," he said. "His colleagues will write emotional things that could affect the investigation." 

Since then censors have allegedly visited many newspapers. Opposition al-Rai al-Shaab paper said they had been obliged to remove an entire page from one of their issues. English-language The Citizen claimed they had been asked to remove a number of articles but had refused.

The constitution drawn up in Sudan after the north-south peace deal in January 2005 enshrines press freedom.

Sources: Reuters Andnetwork Africanews